Surprise!

So, here we are just pulling up to my parents' house for what I thought was going to be a small, simple, quiet birthday dinner, but I was mistaken - very mistaken! It was anything but small, simple, or quiet. In fact, it was a fantastically large group of my dear family and friends decked out in dandy 1950's attire, with cool bee-boppin' hits jamming in the background. "Surprise!" they shout! Embarrassed, I feel... but very happy and grateful, too.

What a perfect way to start my new decade. You can't go wrong with hamburgers and hot dogs grillin', tater tots and french fries accompanying, 7-layer Jello, peach cobbler, and root beer floats topping off a full belly, friends conversing, ping-pong balls ping-ponging, and faces grinning.

Thank you all for caring for me and for festively adorning poodle skirts, jeans and white tee-shirts, Converse sneakers, plaid, and leather jackets, red lipstick, taped glasses, cigarette packs rolled up in sleeves, handkerchiefs and folded down socks, with and without ruffles. And a special thanks to Gayle and Mama for making me such a lovely and personable stars-and-moon skirt. I love it and you for your creation!

(I'm sorry that I don't have pictures of everyone and that there are so many of me!)

June and Gene, my parents-in-law

My Aunt Debbie and Uncle Larry

Jillian and Julena, my cousins

Friends, Donovan and Erin

Sister-in-law, Kathy

Sister-in-law, Kimmie

Friends/co-workers, Abby, Stephanie, and Sabrina

More friends/co-workers, Michele and Shannon

Friends, Lauren and Aaron

Friends, Scott and Tamara

Friends/co-worker, Matt and Megan

Friends/co-worker, Tim, Joey, and Diane, (missing baby Ellie)

Friends, Judy and David

My brother-in-law's parents, Glenda and Butch

Friends, Jack and Karen

Brother-in-law and nephew, Mike and Nathan

Papa and Mama

Gayle, my sweet sister

And surprised I was!

Many, many thanks,

Dawn